Cheap Champagnes You Should Always Buy

Champagne is a word and a concept that has come to symbolize living the high life — even the Miller product of the same name goes by the sobriquet "Champagne of beers." If you are quite literally seeking to satisfy your champagne tastes on a beer budget, though, you need not limit yourself to Milwaukee's finest. As any restaurant serving bottomless mimosas can assure you, there are plenty of bargain-basement Champagnes — or rather, "champagnes" (a.k.a. sparkling wines) — on the market. The problem with many of these, though, is that they really need a hefty dose of orange juice to make them palatable.

Don't despair over finding drinkable budget-priced bubbly, though! There are quite a few inexpensive brands available on the market, some of these domestically produced, while others are imported from places ranging from Spain to South Africa. Believe it or not, there are even a few true capital-C Champagnes, ones that have earned that coveted Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée, whose price tags won't break the bank.

While something called "Château Frank" might sound like a dirt cheap fortified wine that you'd sip out of a brown paper bag, it's actually the name of one of the New York Finger Lakes region's premier wineries (via the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance). Château Frank's Célèbre Crémant is unusual in that it is made from the Riesling grapes typically used in the Rhine wine known by that appellation. Rieslings are typically still wines, and it's not too often that you'll see a sparkling one.

Wine Enthusiast rates Château Frank Célèbre Crémant Riesling a more-than-respectable 88, praising its "gorgeous floral tones" as well as fresh, fruity flavor notes that include both apple and peach. Typical of a Riesling, this wine is both sweet and tart, and it's something that should pair very nicely with food that's on the spicy side. While Château Frank wines don't tend to be all that cheap, Wine Chateau lists this sparkling riesling at a reasonable $19.97.

Cupcake Prosecco may have a name that makes you giggle — after all, it combines two of the biggest food fads of the 20-teens. (If only they could find a way to add "bacon" and "unicorn" to the label as well!) While Cupcake's Prosecco may sound sweet, it's actually on the drier side, so if you don't like too much sugar, this may be the bottle for you. Total Wine finds notes of grapefruit, honeydew, lemon, and peach and says the finish is reminiscent of a toasted slice of brioche. All that, and it's under $10 in some parts of the country!

This prosecco is a favorite with Influenster users. As one reviewer put it, "It tastes more expensive than it is." Cupcake Prosecco works especially well as a mixer, particularly when paired with a tart juice such as pineapple. If you like a drink that is dry and bubbly, though, you may also enjoy drinking it straight.

Francois Montand Brut Blanc de Blancs is a sparkling wine that comes from France and is one that Winebow says is made in the famous Méthode Traditionnelle, a.k.a. Méthode Champenoise. It is technically not a Champagne, though, since it is made from grapes sourced throughout France, including the Gascony and Jura regions. We're not sure exactly how this keeps the price down, and yet it does — you can purchase this close cousin to true champagne for under $15 in some areas.

Wine Spectator chose Francois Montand Brut Blanc de Blancs as one of its Wines of the Week back in 2015, rating it an 89 and praising its "lovely" blend of flavors including ginger, pear, quince, and walnut. Wine.com's in-house critic Wilfred Wong also went with an 89 rating for Francois Montand Brut Blanc de Blancs, describing it with words including "delicious," "charming," and "beautiful." With recommendations like these, it sounds like you'll definitely be getting your 15 bucks' worth and then some should you purchase a bottle. In fact, you might want to spring for a whole case and have it on hand for all of your party needs and solo celebrations.

Georges Clément's Marie Hélène Brut Champagne is one of the cheapest of true champagnes you're likely to find — Vivino lists the price around $30 per bottle! At this price, it's pretty much a must-buy, since that way you can cross "drink real champagne" off your bucket list without blowing the cap off your budget.

So what do you get for your 30 bucks should you decide to shell out for a bottle of Georges Clément Marie Hélène Brut? Believe it or not, something pretty special indeed. This is Vivino's highest-rated wine from Georges Clément, with an overall 4.3 rating, and the editors say this non-vintage sparkler compares favorably to other offerings at double or even triple the price. The Marie Hélène Brut is a standout selection both for its complexity and its slightly yeasty, but fresh and fruity, flavor profile, with reviewers mentioning notes of apple, citrus, toasted brioche, and even marzipan. As a brut, this wine is on the drier side and is satisfyingly effervescent.

Jacquart Brut Mosaïque is another non-vintage champagne that is well worth its modest price tag — at present, Wine.com is selling it for a mere $36.99. At this price, this wine is quite the bargain, as it is highly acclaimed by the critics. British wine magazine Decanter rated Jacquart Brut Mosaïque a 95, while wine expert James Suckling gave it score of 91.

The flavor profile of the Jacquart Brut Mosaïque is one of the more complex ones we've seen, at least at this price point. Among the notes you might detect are those of acacia, almond, apple, cream, fig, fresh bread, honey, lemon, orange blossom, and pear. This isn't the kind of champagne you'd typically use in a cocktail but is instead meant to be enjoyed in a glass on its own. In order to enhance your enjoyment, you could perhaps serve it accompanied with a few hors d'oeuvres, a cheese plate, or something light but elegant like a chilled, dressed lobster.

Bollinger is one of the big dogs (or gros chiens) of the Champagne world, but they also own vineyards in France's Loire Valley, another top wine-producing region. The sparkling wine they make from those Loire-grown grapes is produced by the same method they use for their Champagnes, but the terroir makes it something called a Crémant instead.

Their non-vintage Langlois-Chateau Crémant de Loire Brut is a wine that compares quite favorably to true champagnes prices upwards of $75 per bottle, and yet you can pick it up on Wine Access for around $20. It is made from three different types of grapes: not only the Chardonnay ones typically used in many sparkling wines but also Cabernet Franc and, predominantly, Chenin Blanc. The flavor profile includes apple, baked fruit, brioche, and citrus, with slight mineral notes adding further complexity. Many of the member reviews on Wine Access cite the fact that Langlois-Chateau Crémant de Loire Brut could easily be mistaken for a true champagne, as well as the fact that, as one person put it, this crémant "drinks WAY above its price point."

G. H. Mumm is one of the world's premier champagne houses, but not all of their vineyards are in Champagne, or even in France. They own extensive acreage in the Napa Valley as well, which means that they do produce some affordable California sparklers. Mumm's Napa Brut Prestige, available from Total Wine for around $15 to $20, is quite a bargain at that price. Not only does it have a 4.5-star rating from purchasers, but it has garnered heaps of critical acclaim as well.

Wine.com has shared some of what wine critics have had to say, and it's all good. Both Wine Spectator and Decanter have awarded it a rating of 90, and they praise its complex assemblage of flavors including apple, bread, citrus, gingerbread, melon, stone fruit, strawberry, and vanilla. Napa Brut Prestige is the type of sparkling wine that can be enjoyed on its own but would also go well alongside a meal. In fact, we can't think of a single meal, breakfast included, that wouldn't be enhanced by a glass of this bubbly!